An inevitable consequence of the demographic transition and the shift to lower fertility and mortality has been the evolution in the age structure of the world population. Many societies, especially in the more developed regions, have already attained older population age structures than have ever been seen in the past. Many developing countries in the midst of the demographic transition are experiencing rapid shifts in the relative numbers of children, working-age population and older people.

Social problems and conflicts are integral part of the society from the time immemorial. In providing relief and solution to these problems, social work and social welfare have also remained a part of human society. Professional social work utilizes certain methods of working with people, in view of empowering the people to solve their problems. Among the methods of social work, social action is a professional social work practice whose relevance is often felt in the field situations. The inherent theme behind social action is readjustment of the social institutions and redistribution of power and resources for social justice and empowerment of the community. As a method of social work, social action mobilizes the general population to bring about structural changes in the social system.

Public benefit organizations, also known as non-profit organizations (NPOs) or non- governmental organizations (NGOs), are entities that operate for the purpose of benefiting the public or a specific community, rather than generating profit for shareholders. These organizations often focus on addressing social, environmental, or humanitarian issues

Behavior —A stereotyped motor response to an internal or external stimulus. Character —An individual's set of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral patterns learned and accumulated over time. Cognition —The act or process of knowing or perceiving. Cognitive —The ability (or lack of) to think, learn, and memorize. Gene —A building block of inheritance, which contains the instructions for the production of a particular protein, and is made up of a molecular sequence found on a section of DNA. Each gene is found on a precise location on a chromosome.

Gender-Refers to the socio-cultural construction of maleness and femaleness. Gender can broadly be used to refer to the social organization of the relationships between the sexes . In talking about gender there is consensus in the feminist literature that gender neither refers to sex nor to women and literally rather ii refers to the socially and culturally established roles and relations of or between men and women. These roles are sometimes unequal between the sexes. Universally societies and cultures demarcates rights, duties and responsibilities through gender

The main objective of this course is to discuss and analyze sociological theories which are practiced today. However, it is worth noting that contemporary sociological theories are built on and corporates the classical theories and especially the works of Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Simmel and Mead. Therefore the approach into the understanding of contemporary sociological theories is to be acquainted with the works of classical writers (classical theorists) and the way their ideas are incorporated into that of the latter writers (contemporary theorists).

Adolescence stands our as a fascinating , interesting and challenging period of human growth and development. It is a period of great physical , social emotional , physiological and psychological change. The adolescent is neither a child nor an adult. In many traditional African societies adolescence marked the period of initiation of a child from childhood to adulthood.

Rural Studies- Is the study of rural life and human relationships in the rural environment. The study of rural life is the study of rural population, rural social organization and the social processes comparative in a rural society.AR Desai-Rural studies/sociology- the science of rural society – the science of laws of the development of rural society-has the primary objective to make scientific, systematic and comprehensive study of rural social organization, of its structure, function and the objective tendencies of development and on the basis of such studies to discover the laws of its development

Rural Studies- Is the study of rural life and human relationships in the rural environment. The study of rural life is the study of rural population, rural social organization and the social processes comparative in a rural society. AR Desai-Rural studies/sociology- the science of rural society – the science of laws of the development of rural society-has the primary objective to make scientific, systematic and comprehensive study of rural social organization, of its structure, function and the objective tendencies of development and on the basis of such studies to discover the laws of its development

In this lecture, we shall define gender. In the process of doing so, we shall also look at the key concepts in gender and development. We shall then move on to discuss the importance of gender issues in development. Thereafter we shall look at gender mainstreaming. We shall go further and look at gender in project and policy cycles.